Whale Song light and water spectacular for Liverpool River Festival

A mysterious and magical whale will leap from the Canning Dock as part of this year’s River Festival.

Whale Song, a projection show created from water, light and sound, will enchant watchers nightly from May 29 to June 2.

The six-minute spectacle, commissioned from LCI Productions, will be repeated from 9.45-11 each evening, and will see the spectre of the giant mammal leap 15 metres in the air and plunge back beneath the water again.

It will be accompanied by a soundscape of evocative whale noise.

Andrew Day, creative director of the London-based multimedia production company, said: “LCI are delighted to be bringing the Whale Song show to Liverpool for the River Festival.

“The show was created to present a beautiful and subtle expression of the dance and music of one of nature’s most wonderful creatures. We hope audiences will be delighted by the visions of these majestic creatures being projected on to an ideal screen; one that is made of water.”

Whale Song follows a similar installation in 2018 when the neighbouring Salthouse Dock became home to a shimmering light and water galleon installation.

This year’s River Festival runs over the weekend of June 1-2 and the artistic programme has the theme Changing Tides.

Along with Whale Song, it will feature a new public art commission on the Pier Head, another installation which will see huge floating hand-crocheted Urchins, a New York-inspired dance extravaganza, and an aerial and land-based performance around a shipwreck.

The festival takes place across the waterfront and visitors can also enjoy Tall Ships, live music, street theatre, exhibitions, workshops and more.

There is also a return for the Bordeaux Wine Festival which takes place from May 31-June 2.